Classification: Major
Degree: Bachelor of Science
This interdisciplinary program combines a comprehensive background in user experience (UX) with graphic design, marketing, and programming coursework, giving students the skills and vocabulary they need to develop aesthetically pleasing sites with maximum impact. Taught in a hybrid format, students will spend roughly half of their time in online courses, and half of their time taking classes with expert Wells faculty and peers.
Designed to be both immersive and project-based, this curriculum is built around the exact skills and hands-on experience today’s employers are looking for. Students will spend ample time designing database-driven websites while learning to apply branding, search engine optimization, and lead-generation concepts to optimize the customer journey. Students in this program have the option to focus more on coding or design, based on their skills and interests. And everyone participates in at least one internship, ensuring more real-world experience before you graduate. Students can envision themselves as a freelance web designer or working in a marketing agency, this program is a perfect fit. It’s also ideal for computer science students looking to enhance their design skills. Students will graduate with plenty of hands-on experience and a deep knowledge of web design best practices to propel a career forward.
The total number of courses required for the major is 16 (48 semester hours).
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), web designers are in high demand, with the number of jobs estimated to grow faster than average (13%) between 2020 and 2030. If you have a passion for art, design, and digital storytelling, web design may be the right path for you.
What You’ll Learn as a Web Design Major
- An understanding of digital marketing concepts and the importance of intent when designing
- How to code and build prototypes for both mobile and desktop web apps
- How to conduct user interviews and design a compelling, goal-oriented user journey
- What it takes to create a database-driven website from ideation to coding to site launch
Beyond the Classroom: Experiential Learning in the Web Design Program
In your senior capstone course, Goal-Oriented Web Design, you’ll develop a website from start to finish, giving you valuable development and project management experience as well as proof of your design skills for your portfolio.
Internship and Study Abroad Opportunities
All Wellsians have access to meaningful local internships, many of which are offered by Wells alumni and alumnae who have established themselves as leaders in their fields. Internships are a great way to determine what areas of web design interest you most, while also offering valuable career networking opportunities.
Some recent Wells internships took place at:
- Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District
- Cornell University
- HPM Tech, Ithaca, New York
- Inns of Aurora
- Therm Inc., Ithaca, New York
- Canandaigua Wine Co., Canandaigua, New York
- Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, Aurora, New York
You can also take your undergraduate learning overseas. Learn more about study abroad programs at Wells.
Career Options for Web Design Majors
A bachelor’s degree in web design can open the door to a wide range of careers. A few examples include
- Digital designer
- UI or UX developer
- Full-stack developer
- UI or UX designer
- Web developer
Required Courses
All of the following (48 sem. hrs.)
- ART 119 Visual Organization (3 sem. hrs.)
- ART/BKRT 127 Introduction to Print and Graphic Design (3 sem. hrs.)
- BKRT 220 Digital Book and Graphic Design (3 sem. hrs.)
- BUS 202 Principles of Marketing (3 sem. hrs.)
- BUS 231 Principles of Project Management (3 sem. hrs.)
- CS 131 Programming I: Procedural Methods (3 sem. hrs.)
- CS 132 Programming II: Advanced Design (3 sem. hrs.)
- CS 133 Programming for Everyone Il (3 sem. hrs.)
- CS 270 Web Development (3 sem. hrs.)
- CS 271 User Experience I: Understanding User Experience (3 sem. hrs.)
- CS 370 Application Development I – Exploring Web Applications (3 sem. hrs.)
- CS 371 Application Development II – Building Web Applications (3 sem. hrs.)
- CS 372 Product Development (3 sem. hrs.)
- CS 373 User Experience II: Building Compelling User Experiences (3 sem. hrs.)
- MATH 151 Elementary Statistics (3 sem. hrs.)
- WEB402 Goal-Oriented Web Design (3 sem. hrs.)